*** No word yet on kickoff for Big Game — we don’t even know if the conference will announce the start time today or next Monday. I’ll provide an update here if/when warranted. UPDATE: Kickoff won’t be announced until next Monday, according to the conference office. Networks utilizing 6-day selection option …

There isn’t much to say about the events that unfolded over 3.5 hours on Saturday. The Bears were mediocre on offense, putrid on defense and even worse on special teams.

In other words: Just another day at the office.

(OK, that’s probably a bit unfair to the STs.)

So I’ll mention a few factoids and then get to big-picture items about three of the four people most responsible for this mess (the fourth being Jeff Tedford).

Result: Lost to USC 62-28

Grade: F

Comment: At least the weather was nice.

* The good: No turnovers.

* The bad: USC averaged 9.8 yards per play.

* The ugly: Cal allowed three special teams touchdowns: two on punt returns (75 and 93 yards) and one on a blocked punt.

Said special teams coach Mark Tommerdahl: “This is my responsibility.”

No kidding.

* The abominable: The Bears allowed more than 40 points for the seventh time this season … and lost their 12th consecutive Pac-12 game … and 14th in a row to FBS competition

As I have noted previously: It’s tough to be this bad, folks.

To be this bad, many things have to go wrong outside the coaching staff’s control and the coaching staff has to do a less-than-stellar job of utilizing its talent. Because the Bears have better talent than 12 consecutive FBS losses.

I’d also take a moment to note Northwestern’s record: 0-5 in Big Ten play.

Oh, and Washington State hasn’t come close to winning a league game since it thumped Cal on Oct. 5.

Now …

*** Big-picture item No. 1:

When attempting to reasonably and fairly assess Dykes’ first season, I can’t help but think back to the rookie years for Tedford (2002), Jim Harbaugh at Stanford (2007) and Mike MacIntyre at San Jose State (2010).

All three took over programs that were in much worse shape than the 2013 Bears, and all three accomplished something positive on the field – something to provide momentum for the offseason, for recruiting, and for Year 2.

Tedford won seven games and was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year.

Harbaugh beat USC in the epic upset and Cal.

MacIntyre made the Spartans competitive (despite years of scholarship limitations) with a series of close, encouraging losses down the stretch.

With two games remaining in Dykes’ rookie year, the Bears have nothing to build on.

Sure, there are positive changes behind the scenes (i.e., academic accountability). But at some point, on some level, you have to show progress on Saturday.

A five-point loss to Arizona does not qualify.

*** Big picture item No. 2:

What will Dykes do about defensive coordinator Andy Buh?

I don’t think Buh’s a bad coach, but there is nothing on his resume, which includes a failed stint at Stanford, to suggest he’s an elite coordinator — that he’s as adept as the man he replaced, Clancy Pendergast (now at USC).

It’s hardly fair to heap all of Cal’s defensive woes on Buh. The talent was mediocre to begin with, and the surreal series of injuries have compounded the problems.

But Buh is in charge of one of the worst defenses in conference history, a unit that has repeatedly looked ill-prepared, that has under-performed its modest talent and that ranks 121st in the nation — ahead of only Idaho and New Mexico.

Dykes must peer through the murk of the injuries and the inexperience and ask himself if Buh is the man to lead Cal’s defense next season … if he has shown enough tactical expertise, motivational skills and grasp of personnel to lead the unit out of the gutter.

Dykes must ask himself what message would it send — to the team, the fans and prospective recruits — if he dismissed or demoted Buh … and what message it would send if he didn’t.

Can Cal thoroughly erase the stink of this season without a change in defensive leadership?

Next up: at Colorado

The matchup: Colorado is a 3-point favorite.

Think about that for a minute: The Buffs, who have been double-digit underdogs in every Pac-12 game this season and haven’t come close to winning one of them, are the betting favorite.

That’s how low the Bears have sunk.

Which brings me to …

*** Big-picture item No. 3:

This is an important game for the Bears as they try to generate momentum for the offseason – and a critical game personally for athletic director Sandy Barbour (and, by extension, for Dykes).

Barbour could have hired Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre last December following a breakthrough season at San Jose State.

Instead she went with Dykes, who did a lesser job at Louisiana Tech than MacIntyre did at SJSU.

The rebuilding task at LaTech wasn’t nearly as difficult as the situation MacIntyre faced at SJSU (largely because of APR problems). The Bulldogs, after all, won eight games just two years before Dykes arrived.

Add to that dynamic the fact that MacIntyre beat Dykes head-to-head last year and …

Barbour has a pile of problems to deal with. The last thing she needs is her hand-picked football coach to lose to the man many (myself included) thought she should have hired in the first place.

It’s the last thing Dykes needs, too, as he tries to build confidence and limit potential recruiting damage inflicted by this wretched season.

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Barbour’s track record of bad decisions should leave CSU East Bay (North Campus) with no choice but to fire her, and soon:

– Inexcusable academic performance that has degraded the entire school in peoples’ eyes. Not good enough to react to it now. Clearly it wasn’t a priority for her – EVER

– Stadium financing fiasco that will likely leave California taxpayers on the hook for $100M+ when all is said & done

– Trying to CUT baseball and four other sports because she couldn’t manage the budget. Wonder how that budget looks now with worse football attendance and debt servicing cost of at least 7 figures if not 8.

– Extending Tedfraud’s contract with such ridiculous terms. He may have been good, but he wasn’t THAT good.

– Hiring Sonny Dykes instead of Mike MacIntyre. DOH!

evyrioclo

Completely agree and I’m a dedicated CAL fan…I have tried to be open to Sykes but can’t find the will to do it. Barbour gave up on developing a more local CAL style of football by hiring him…MacIntyre would’ve been better but the BEST in my opinion would’ve been to have let Tedford ride out his contract…that 3-9 season last year is looking pretty good right now..How many millions did it cost to fire him? BTW, that Stanford clown who posted doesn’t even know what school he is talking about (CSU East Bay???)

David

MacIntyre had zero interest in the job. Would not have taken it.

casey_mullins

Jeff Tedfired says: I’m not telling how many millions I got from Cal but my lawyer just bought a new jet. That’s why you have portapotties.

I see Portland State went up to Pocatello and came out with a win over Idaho State, to run their Big Sky record to 3-3, 6-4 overall. So Cal has to take their win over PSU as a quality one! High five!

casey_mullins

right, it should have been Cal State-Shattuck. But the clown shoes award for this week goes to their special teams coordinator. Gives new meaning to “special.” as in SNL’s “the Church Lady”.

el Palo

That was sarcastic humor. Note that he said CSU East Bay, NORTH campus. There is no North campus in reality.

casey_mullins

JDub,
defensive talent was mediocre to begin with??? what about your NFL first rounder DeAndre (or is it Gary) Coleman?

DaVinski

If Buh is fired, please make it a combo and fire the special teams “coach” as well.

casey_mullins

hey, football attendance looked pretty good on Saturday, ,,,,but they were all wearing crimson and gold. All Barbour has to do is start marketing tickets to visiting schools. People will come from all over to watch their teams run all over the Bears.

evyrioclo

I know what it was: it was an elitist dissing an entire school b/c of a football program. Study the Greek classics to find out what happens next when this kind of attitude is embraced

evyrioclo

Hey at least “special” is a politically correct term for that display…:)

Calfan

What does it say about the state of our program when I agree with a Stanfurd troll’s comment?

rotfogel

Jon Wilner, this is my favorite article you’ve ever written, I couldn’t have said it better. Disarray is a good word in this context. I have no idea which direction the team is headed right now. It can’t get worse…well, let me think about this…..no, I’m right, it cannot get worse.

Mason Jar

But he would take on a bigger dumpster fire in Boulder? That doesn’t make a lot of sense. CU and Wazzu are the only schools in the conference with less talent than the bears. Cal is a better job than Colorado, the stadium and facilities are top shelf in Berkeley, have you seen what CU has to offer aside from the beautiful town of Boulder?

David

Don’t think you are fully understanding just how much a mess the Cal AD is. No one wanted this job, why do you think Dykes got it? Cal is not a better job, not by a long shot.

el Palo

I would have to agree with you there. One should not put down the Cal State system even if you are a Bear hater.